


The Ranger

by hirusen



Series: History of The Ravens [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series), Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: D&D Backstory, Human Experimentation, Mild Gore, Original Universe, vampire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-01 09:58:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16282460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hirusen/pseuds/hirusen
Summary: So, I've been obsessed with Critical Roll and the urge to create my own characters and campaign was there and I did some things, but! With this character, all I put on his sheet was: Not much is known about Mason, as he tends to keep to other people at a distance.If I ever got a chance to play, Mason would be the one I would use first and keep his backstory a secret from everyone, and only tell the DM as much as they needed to add in Mason's history to their campaign. But! Since I will be creating a campaign that follows my band of 14 characters through their adventures, I thought you guys might like to know a little more about them! So, I'm gonna be posting each of their full backstories on here! ^^





	The Ranger

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've been obsessed with Critical Roll and the urge to create my own characters and campaign was there and I did some things, but! With this character, all I put on his sheet was: Not much is known about Mason, as he tends to keep to other people at a distance.
> 
> If I ever got a chance to play, Mason would be the one I would use first and keep his backstory a secret from everyone, and only tell the DM as much as they needed to add in Mason's history to their campaign. But! Since I will be creating a campaign that follows my band of 14 characters through their adventures, I thought you guys might like to know a little more about them! So, I'm gonna be posting each of their full backstories on here! ^^

It was a cold day in Wayhaven, the chill of winter coming to an end, but still desperately cling to the air. Footfall was muffled against the leaf slick forest floor as a young boy no older than five crept through the dense trees. His stormy grey eyes carefully scanned the bushes for both berries and traps, knowing that the town hunters tended to start setting them up just before the turn of spring. He froze when he heard a soft whining, the animal making it sounding distressed. He debated moving on, but something about that sound tugged him closer.

His eyes widened in horror as the carcass of a female wolf and her pups greeted him upon parting the branches of a few young trees. The whining was coming from a pup that was much smaller than its dead siblings, whining and pawing at its mother's muzzle, trying to wake her or bring her back to life. His features softened at the sight, a pang of anguish washing through him; he remembers all too well the pain of losing one's family. Slowly as to not frighten the pup any further, he made his way closer to the bodies and the lone survivor. The pup, after seeing him, flattened its ears against its head, tucked its tail, and whined even more.

"Sh, little one, I won't hurt you." He hushed as he leaned down and reached down to the pup. He curled his hand to mimic a paw and placed it on the ground, doing nothing else but waiting. After a long moment, the pup hesitated towards his curled up hand, the boy feeling as warm air was pulsed against his fingers.

"That's it. Good pup." He whispered as he carefully, slowly, unfurled his fingers, keeping still to let the pup smell him once more. The pup's tail straighten after a few long minutes and he took a chance and touched the tips of his fingers against the pup's head. It whimpered softly before he gently stroked its head, gradually moving down until he was petting the entire length of the puppy's body. He noticed after a few times he did this, that the pup was actively moving its ears back as he stroked its head.

He paused when the pup glanced to its mother, to him, and back. When it looked at him again, the noise it made was a plea, a hope that he could do something to wake its mother.

"There is nothing I can do, little one. I'm sorry." The whine was heartbreaking to hear, and he knew he couldn't just leave this pup to die in the forest.

"Would you like to come with me, little one?" He asked and much to his surprise, the pup tilted its head in confusion, like it understood what he said but not the meaning.

"I can't...wake her. Your mother won't be awake again, little one, but if you want, I can take care of you. Would you like that?" He softly explained, reaching out and giving the pup a little scratch being its left ear. He felt himself smiling when the pup's tail started to wag and yipped happily at him. So he tenderly scooped it up and made his way back to town.

* * *

While oddly calm for it being a little past noon, the boy didn't really mind as the stalls for the festival of the Venral Equinox were being constructed. Which meant he could steal food more easily now that most vendors were too busy with their stalls.

"Mason! There you are!" The named boy snapped his head around towards the source, a grin spreading his lips at the sight.

"Nate!" Nate, full name Nathaniel, was just a few inches taller and a year old than Mason, with tawny skin, dark brown hair that was now about an inch long, and beautiful dark brown eyes. Mason rushed up to his friend, slowing when he saw where his eyes were settled.

"I see you went out to the forest again." Mason gave him a sheepish grin at the soft scolding. Nate never liked it when Mason went to the forest to gather berries alone; always too scared that something will happen to him. The duo ducked into a small alleyway after a moment, Mason cradling the wolf pup protectively to his chest.

"You didn't take it away from its mother did you?"

Mason frowned. "I...did, but! But..." Mason trailed off, Nate raising a brow in confusion.

"But?"

Mason sighed deeply. "Its mother was dead, Nate. The other pups too..." His friend's face turned gentler at his words, knowing in that moment why Mason took the pup.

"...Well, as long as you promise to take care of it."

"I will!" Mason barked quickly, grimacing at himself before repeating, "I will. I promise." Nathaniel, after a moment, chuckled softly and ruffled Mason's brown hair that now framed him face.

The two boys found each other when Mason was three, having been caught by the owner of a bakery when he went through the unsaleable goods, when Nate spoke up and apologized to the woman, telling her the truth that they were without parents and hungry. The woman, upon seeing just how true his words had been, brought both of them some fresher pastries for them to eat and made the boys promise to come back here if they wanted some more. The duo had managed to win the hearts of at least five shop owners, two inn keepers, and the heart of the cold-shoulder blacksmith who many have said hasn't smiled since the day he lost his wife and daughter.

"Oh! That's right; I got a present for you!" Nate spoke up suddenly, clearly having been too wrapped up in the sweet moment of the wolf pup happily licking Mason's cheek. Nate reached behind himself and pulled out a sheath, the hilt of a blade visible.

"What...is it?" Mason asked, carefully putting the pup down and taking the item from his friend.

"It's a dagger. I told old Jack that I had missed a special day, but I didn't have a gift that day so he made me that."

"Old Jack did? The blacksmith?" Nate nodded his head at his friend's question.

"Happy belated, or maybe early, birthday, Mason."

"I-I...I... Thank you, Nate. I love it." The five year old unsheathed the blade, taking a moment to examine it. The craftsmanship was clear as day, the steel beautifully folded and forged into the simple weapon.

"Thank you, Nate. I'll treasure it always." The older boy laughed warmly, leaning down to give the wolf pup that trotted over to him a quick scratch behind its ear.

"By the way, do you know what you're gonna name him?" Nate asked, gesturing to the pup that bounced back to his side.

"Um... I think, I'll name him...Virgil!"

"Virgil? Well that's a nice name." The two boys smiled to the wolf pup as it barked happily, tail wagging fast enough to hear it.

"I think she likes it too." A new voice spoke up, both Mason and Nate jumping in surprise at the sudden sound. They both turned towards the mouth of the alley and saw a tall, pale skinned woman with long black hair, dark pink lips, and blood red eyes.

It was the vampire that lived in the manor near the center of Wayhaven. The children lowered their heads, though Mason kept his a little higher as he asked, "She?"

"Yes, your little friend there is a girl."

"Oh... W-Well, Virgil can be a girl's name too, right?" Mason asked and to anyone outside of Wayhaven, it would seem like a bold move. The woman smiled sweetly and crouched down, her long dark blue dress that had a slit on the left side being carefully tucked against her legs as she said, "That's right. ...Where are your parents, dears?" They said nothing, just looked harder at the ground.

"Oh you poor things. It can't be easy to survive can it?"

"N-No, Madam." The vampire chuckled softly, that gentle smile still on her lips. "Please, call me Amelie."

"W-Why are you out tonight, Lady Amelie?" At this point in time, the sun was just at the horizon. Amelie beckoned Nathaniel closer, softly combing her fingers through his hair. "I came to see if the people needed aid in their evening tasks."

That made sense to Mason. He's seen Lady Amelie out at dusk and night before, and he's seen her helping the townsfolk with finishing the harvest they had started at dawn, gathering up supplies for inns and mothers, helping the men load items for trade and sale onto carts. Despite being a vampire, Lady Amelie truly cares for the people of Wayhaven and helps how ever she can.

"We're okay, Lady Amelie. Thank you for checking on us." Mason commented and he spotted that just checking on him and Nate wasn't the whole reason she was crouched before them.

"...Would you two like to live with me?"  _What?_ "I've watched both of you grow up, but I had always thought that your parents just weren't taking good care of you; I had no idea you two were without them. Wayhaven doesn't have an orphanage in any part of the city, and children so young shouldn't be forced to live in the streets."

"What...do you want from us?" Nate asked, taking a step in front of Mason.

Amelie's smile brightened in its warmth. "So brave. That's a good quality for a man. And I ask nothing of you: I simply wish to give you both a home and a place to learn."

"Learn?"

"Well, I haven't seen either of you leaving with the other children from Sunday school, nor from any of the academies of Wayhaven; you aren't getting a basic education." Nate and Mason looked at their feet.

"W-Well, I can write, an-and Nate knows how to read." Mason flinched when Amelie's hand touched his head, feeling as she stilled for a moment, before carefully brushing his bangs out of his face.

"And I can help you both learn what the other knows." Mason glanced back at the vampire, confusion in his eyes. "I have a small handful of servants who help keep the manor clean and proper, and I was a teacher before being brought into my current life. I would be more than happy to teach both of you that basics so you can survive when you're older."

Her offer was extremely tempting, and Nate and Mason glanced to each other, trying to decide. "C-Can... Can I keep Virgil?"

"Of course you can, sweetheart." Amelie spoke as she straightened up and held out her hands, a hopeful look in her ruby eyes. Mason reached out, hesitated, then placed his small hand in her elegant one, watching as her slender fingers slowly and carefully coiled around his whole hand. Nate was only a moment behind, and both boys walked with the vampire back to her home, each one holding a hand.

* * *

The inside of the manor was like a fairy tail. It looked impossibly large from where they stood, beautiful dark wood stairs started in the center of the main room and then parted and swirled into two paths that both lead to the upper floor. There was long, lavender drapes framing the windows, paintings of landscapes and the past owners of the manor were sprinkled throughout the room and halls. The candle light in every hall and room was bright enough to clearly see without hurting ones eyes.

Amelie lead the two boys towards the dining room that had a rather large table meant to seat 9 people in the middle, the oak table and chairs look like they were crafted nearly 70 years ago and have aged extremely well. A woman dressed in a maid's clothing walked into the room a moment later. "You've returned early, Milady... Oh! Now who are these two sweethearts?" The woman spoke, bending down a little to give each boy a look.

"I-I'm Mason."

"And I'm Nathaniel, um, Nate for short."

Amelie chuckled as one of her servants squealed excitedly. "They are just so gosh darn cute!"

"Heheh, indeed they are. Would you mind making them some supper?"

"Oh, of course, Milady, right away. Do you wish for anything tonight?" The maid asked Amelie, who only shook her head. The maid left a moment later, and Amelie lead Mason and Nate to a washroom that was close by. She helped both of them clean their hands and faces, flagging down a butler when he was passing by and asked him to draw both of the children a warm bath once they were finished with their dinner.

By the time they had gotten back, the plates were just being set onto the table, an intoxicating smell of vegetables, warm soup, and cooked meat wafted through their noses and mouths. Amelie stayed with them while they ate, laughing when they managed to make a mess of their faces, enthralling their curiosity about her generosity by letting them ask whatever they wished to know about her. Once they were happily full, and Amelie had finished cleaning their faces with their napkins, she lead the boys upstairs.

There, the butler she had flagged down and the maid who made them dinner waited next to two doors. Nate went with the butler while Mason followed the maid. Inside each room was a bathroom, the bath filled with warm water. The maid, named Shalla, helped Mason out of his filthy clothes and into the bath, handing his dirty clothes to a new face, another butler who looked to be barely out of his teen years, who smiled at Mason with a small bow.

"How many people like you live here?" Mason asked as Shalla gently tilted his head back to wash out the sweet smelling product she used to clean his hair.

"There's 8 of us; three other maids and four butlers."

"Including the one who took my clothes and the one with Nate?"

"Yes, sweety. Lady Amelie was very kind to take us in, as the two masters of the manor before her had casted us out." Mason glanced back at her.

"Why?"

"He...had become paranoid that someone was trying to kill him, and lost trust in us. In truth, Lord Gracefell had simply gone mad from old age, but since he did not trust Adam--the butler that is with your friend--in his advisement of his health, there was nothing we could do." Mason frowned deeply at her words.

"And...what about the master before Lady Amelie? What were they like?"

"Well..." Shalla started, gently lifting Mason's arm out of the water to rub a washcloth over his skin, "He was a good man. Lord Remus was a vampire like Lady Amelie--was her sire in fact--and just like Lady Amelie, he cared greatly for the people of Wayhaven. He was the one who provided us with shelter and food before Lady Amelie took us back."

"He didn't take you back? Why?"

"It seemed that Lord Remus was very cautious of humans; most places he had stayed prior to coming to Wayhaven have seen him hurting humans in self-defense when they tried to kill him during the day or when he had been sleeping. But despite that, he still wanted to help and protect humans. He was a very generous and kind man."

"What happened to him?"

Shalla paused, thinking about it. "...I honestly do not know. I know he passed away not long after he sired Lady Amelie, but I have no knowledge of how he passed; Lady Amelie only said that he went peacefully in his sleep when she brought us back into the manor." Mason hummed softly, taking all of the information in. He's never heard of Lord Gracefell before, but Lord Remus he has; Shalla had been correct in her words, he's heard of the tales of the good the first vampire to ever protect Wayhaven has done, and he's seen firsthand the warmth and generosity Lady Amelie has given the town.

Their conversation had feel off after that, Mason enjoying the little tune Shalla sung as she finished bathing him, helping him out of the bath and drying him off, tugging on the plush, warm robe around his body. Shalla escorted him down the hall until they spotted Nate and Adam, his friend waving eagerly to him. They were in front of a large, heavy looking door, dark wood like the rest of the manor. Adam knocked three times before a soft 'come in' reached their ears.

In the large bedroom was Lady Amelie in a long, dark green silk gown, her hair pulled over one shoulder as she looked back at them. "I bet you two are tired after having a nice warm meal and bath." To confirm her suspicions, both Mason and Nate yawned heavily, some water welling up in the corners of their eyes. Amelie giggled as she walked over, placed a hand on each of their shoulders, and guided them to the large bed that could easily fit all three of them. She put each of them in the bed and then tucked the thick, warm blankets around them.

"Should you two need anything during the night, you can pull on this string, and one of the servants will come in a few minutes." She explained, pointing out the thin string on the side Mason was on.

"Are...you not going to bed too?" Nate asked, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

"I will be, but closer to when the sun will rise. I don't need a lot of sleep, but I do tend to sleep more during the day than night." Right. Most vampires were nocturnal.

"We'll get to see you again, right?" Mason asked as a small blur of fur barreled between Adam's legs towards the bed, yipping eagerly and trying to jump up. They heard as Adam chuckled and helped Virgil onto the bed, the wolf pup quick to tuck herself next to Mason.

Amelie's features softened as she smiled, threading her hand through each of their hair. "Of course you will, my sweet boys. But for now, rest." She leaned in, pressed a kiss to each of their foreheads, and left the room without a sound.

And for the next three days, that's how their life went. Adam would wake them in the morning, help them get dressed in their clothes that were cleaned every night (the local couturier was still out of town so they didn't have any different clothes to change into), and were then brought downstairs for breakfast. Shalla would then bring them to the large library or outside garden and begin their morning lessons; she would usually give them a small assignment to complete while she went back inside to prepare their lunch and bring it to them. Once they were finished with both their lunch and afternoon lessons, they were free to do whatever they wished.

Mason tended to go to the library and continue reading a book that Amelie suggested he tried to finish; it wasn't very thick, but it did prove challenging for Mason to do. Nate, as he found out on the second day, would be either in the garden or the kitchen, helping both Shalla and Felix, the young butler who took their clothes to be cleaned the night they were brought to the manor. Mason would also pitch in to help in the kitchen, having always loved to watch the woman in the bakery make the pastries and watch the chef for a small little restaurant prepare and cook the meals.

Lady Amelie had, true to her word, been seen again. Every night in fact. She tended to leave the manor to help the townsfolk just as it broke to dusk, returning once the moon had become clearer in the sky to be with them while they ate supper, reviewing their lessons and giving praise and words of advice based on what she saw. Once their meals were finished, Adam and Shalla would draw up baths for both boys, get them clean and into their night robes, and Lady Amelie would see them off to bed.

But tonight, the night of their third day living with Lady Amelie, Mason jolted awake with cold dread raking down his spine. He glance about the moon lit room, seeing no signs of danger in it, but that sensation sticking all the same. Something was wrong. He couldn't quiet place it, but he felt-- _knew_ \--that something bad was about to happen. Virgil must have sensed his unease and woke up, letting out a soft whine and licked his cheek. "Sh, it's okay, Virgil." But he felt like he just spoke a lie.

Something bad was going to happen and soon.

Glancing over at Nate, he smiled as he watched his friend's peaceful face for a moment, not having the heart to wake him up. Taking Virgil into his grasp, Mason carefully crawled out of bed, walked over to the door and pressed his ear against it. He didn't know why he did it, he trusted Adam and knew he wouldn't hurt him, but a part of him felt like just for tonight he couldn't risk being caught. After waiting for a good seven minutes, he slowly opened the door and poked his head out; Adam wasn't there. Mason quickly ducked out of the room and headed downstairs, managing to pull the large and heavy (for a five year old) door open and stepped outside.

There was signs that the festival for the Venral Equinox was almost here; most of the stalls were set up and there was festive decorations littered about the town. He soaked in the sight, suddenly feeling like he would never actually be around for the festival. Virgil tilted her head in confusion when Mason set her down on the ground and gently nudged her away.

"You need to go, Virgil." She whined loudly, rushing up to his side and rubbing her head against his leg, but he carefully used the leg she was rubbing to push her away again.

"Something bad is gonna happen soon, Virgil, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you." He told her, wanting so much to kneel down and comfort her, but was too afraid that she wouldn't leave if he did. Gently, he used his foot and scooted her further from him. "Leave, Virgil. Go!" He almost shouted, feeling so guilty when the pup whined with her ears flattened back, the pain of being sent away shining bright in her blue eyes, hesitating for only a moment more before she ran away back towards the forest.

He watched her go, wanting to know that she was safely away before he stepped back inside, his breath catching when Adam was standing in front of him. Mason spotted something weird in his icy green eyes; it...looked like regret.

"Adam?"

"...Did you have a bad dream?" Adam asked, kneeling down so he was close to eye level with the young boy.

"I...think so. Why?"

Adam sighed softly, reaching up to cup Mason's cheek. "I used to go outside and look at the moon when I had nightmares, too. I thought that's what might have happened with you as well." Mason glanced down to his bare feet, unsure of what he should say next. Adam, however, didn't seem to mind as he effortlessly lifted Mason into his arms and carried him back to his bedroom. Mason kept his eyes on the man as he laid him back down, feeling as his fingers threaded through his hair. And then he saw Adam mouth something.

'Please, forgive us.'

"...Adam? Are you okay?" Mason asked and the older male sighed heavily, a flash of at least 10 years crossing his features and he looked so tired in that moment. "...In time, I imagine so. But rest, little one. The festival's tomorrow; I don't think you want to be tired and miss out." Adam softly spoke, stroking Mason's hair one last time before he left him for the night. Shalla was the one to fetch them the following morning, Mason seeing the same subtle pain in her eyes that he saw in Adam's as she got them dressed and lead them downstairs for breakfast.

Much to Mason's and Nate's surprise, Lady Amelie was waiting for them at the table.

"Good morning, you two."

"Lady Amelie? Um, good morning, but...may I ask why you're awake?" Nate spoke and she giggled softly.

"I thought I would join you for breakfast, since I did make it this morning." Mason felt another chill of fear that he felt the night before wash down his spine, but said nothing. The meal Lady Amelie had prepared was very simple: eggs, bacon, toast, and a glass of freshly made orange juice. Nate dove right into the meal, but Mason hesitated for a second, unsure of why his instincts where telling him to not eat. Managing to shove past his mental alarms to not do it, Mason took a large bite of the eggs; it tasted fine as he chewed, but once he swallowed he noticed it.

It was a strange taste, a mix of coppery tang and acid. Then the room started to sway heavily. He barely noticed that Nate had collapsed onto the table as his whole vision blurred.

The last thing he saw before the darkness took him, was a pleased smile on Lady Amelie's lips.

* * *

The smell of fresh leather and the feeling of something tight around his throat were the first things he noticed when he woke up. The second was that he was in a room he's never been to before; it was lined with strange equipment and tools, somethings he remembers seeing in the butcher's shop or the local hospital, but others? They looked extremely sinister and wicked. The third thing he noticed was that he was on his back, strapped to a cold, metal table.

"Ah! Good, you're both awake." He strained his head as best as he could to look up and see half of Lady Amelie's face; trying to look any further caused the leather to bite roughly against his neck.

"What happened?" He heard Nate speak though he couldn't see him. At least he's okay.

"I'm truly sorry for what happened this morning, but I had to make sure that I could get both of you down here safely."

"What happened this morning? What do you--"

"She drugged us." Mason cut in, picking up both the shock and relief in Nate's gasp. Lady Amelie's features softened at the blunt statement, but she didn't deny it.

"Lady Amelie, what's going on?"

"Well, you see I found something that belonged to my sire. A journal of his."

"So what?" Mason nearly growled, getting a tender frown from the vampire as she stroked his cheek.

"Lord Remus, as Shalla must have told you, died before I became the master of this manor."

"I remember. She told me that she didn't know how he died; you just said he died in his sleep."

"And he did. But he had been poisoned with Dead Man's Blood. It's something hunters use against vampires as it is very lethal in a high enough dose."

"Is that how he died?" Nate asked and Amelie hummed softly.

"But it was slow going as my sire had a rare condition that prevented him from removing the poison from his body without running the risk of being killed during the attempt. So, he lived like as he always had, but one thing became different. I had trouble finding him.

"I did find him dead, peacefully asleep in his bed, but I recently discovered  _why_ I could never find him; he had a secret study built into the manor. He must have spent a few days in there long before he created me, and even more after he was poisoned."

"So what does that have to do with us?" Mason growled as he tested his limbs against the leather that bound him to the table; none of them have any give and if he had to guess from the smell, they were all freshly changed.

"This," She says as she holds up an ancient looking journal, the original color faded and the edges of the pages starting to yellow. "In his last hours, my sire began to write a theory; a brand new method for creating vampires. He only had two problems: he was running out of time, and he had no test subjects."

Mason's eyes widened in horror as he quickly understood what was about to happen; Nate started to cry.

"I know this is all scary, my little boys, but I promise that you will have a better life afterwards; the three of us can be together forever, to be a family forever." Lady Amelie, from what little Mason could see of her, had a mad look in her eyes and they almost looked like they were glazed over, like she was bewitched by a spell. Footsteps grew from across the room and Adam appeared into Mason's view, that same look from last night in his eyes. He then quickly moved and they heard something on wheels squeak across the floor.

It was a long, iron rod with a hook on one side. A bag of dark red that had strange swirls of silver and blue in it dangled from the hook.

"I've instructed Adam to ensure that there's very little pain when he puts the needle in." Lady Amelie spoke as Adam unhooked a long, thin tube from a smaller hook on the side of the pole, a thick needle attached to the end of it. Mason struggled as best as he could, but given the bindings and Adam's own strength, it was a fruitless effort. Once the needle was in, he moved to Nate.

"No! No, Adam, please don't..!" Nate begged, but judging from the broken sob that left Nate, Adam didn't listen.

"This pain, however, I'm afraid that there's nothing we can do about." She spoke as she walked to Mason, her fingers wrapped around a little valve of some kind that was preventing the liquid that had already drained into the tube from going further; she turned in and Mason watched in horror as the strange fluid slowly crawled towards his arm.

Then it hit the needle.

Pain.

**_Pain._ **

Screaming.

Tears.

Pleas.

Teeth.

Hurting.

Pushing.

_PAIN._

Lady Amelie's hand in his mouth, pulling whatever it was that he was choking on out, her hand stained red with blood. The mere 20 minutes it took for all of the dark liquid in the bag to drain into his body felt like years, but finally it was over. His mouth hurt, and his tongue kept flicking against something foreign. It was right where his upper canines were suppose to be, but they were nearly twice, maybe three times as long. But the bizarre thing was, the blood that was in his mouth kinda tasted...good.

Nate, however, was still screaming. "Oh, sweetheart, everything will be okay. I know you can make in through this; plus, there's still one more bag you both have to go through." At her words, Nate's screaming seemed to calm and Mason could see very clearly from the corner of his eye as she stuck her hand in his mouth and pulled something out as well.

Teeth, he realized. The pain in his jaw was caused by his upper adult canines being forced out as fangs. And as he realized this, he was hit was a wall of sounds, smells, and lights. The dim light in the room became too sharp too quickly; he could hear not only his own heartbeat, but Adam's pain filled one, Lady Amelie's calm one, and Nate's frantic one, as well as dozens more just barely out of reach; the stench of antiseptics, blood, sweat, leather, and other chemicals swirled unpleasantly through his nose, causing him to gag on bile.

"...It seems he's having a stronger reaction to it than Nathaniel. Let's start Nate on the second part first and give Mason time to adjust."

"Yes, Milady." Adam responded, voice distant, as he quickly picked up a second bag, one that was a dark oak color and attached the tube to it, putting it on the large hook after he removed the first bag. Nate started to writhe on the table he was strapped to, the leather holding him firmly in place.

Mason, now feeling a lot stronger than before, tugged at the leather around his limbs again. This time, he felt the bonds around his wrists snap; his hands were free. He glanced over, hoping beyond hope that a miracle had happened, but Nate was still bound, the bag slowly and steadily emptying into him, Lady Amelie's attention still on his best friend.

Mason wanted to cry.

But that could wait. He reached up, pulled the needle out of his arm and quickly undid the leather around his neck and legs, sliding off the table much more silently than he would had thought given how much agony was racking through him. He quickly glanced around the room and spotted both a way out and the journal that the vampire was talking about earlier.  _I won't let this happen again. Not ever._ Mason thought as he snatched up the open journal and booked it out of the manor; as he took the journal, he spotted that Adam was staring at him, but he didn't say a word, his eyes begging him to escape.

He quickly made his way through the dungeon of the manor, seeing at least 40 people--men, woman, children, both young and old, boys and girls--in the cells, horror in their eyes while there was pleas on their lips. He couldn't risk being caught; he didn't know if Felix or Shalla were nearby, didn't know if they were in on what was happening.

He escaped the manor just as the sun began to set.

In the dusk before the Venral Equinox festival, a child, scared and running for his life, streaked through the streets from the vampire manor, with not a sole around to witness his departure.

No one, except a little wolf pup.

"Virgil!" He shouted when he saw her waiting just past the forest edge, her tail wagging happily as she barked and,  _Mason! Family, family!_

What the hell was that? Didn't matter right now. "Come on, we've gonna run!"  _Run? But, where is friend?_ A voice, female and childlike, rang in his head.

"He's not coming, I...couldn't save him." Virgil's ears flattened back and she whined sharply, but she hastily bit at Mason's pant leg and started to shake her head and tug.  _Come! Go, go!_ He didn't need to be told twice.

The duo ran deep into the forest, Mason occasionally hearing a voice in his head to slow down when Virgil happened to get too far behind. But all Mason felt as he ran was pain and an agonizing thirst. The moon was high in the sky when he finally grew too tired to run, having picked up Virgil and carried her when that voice said that it was sleepy. He fell against a tree by the side of the road and caught his breath. That ever present thirst started to morph into hunger and for only a spilt second did Mason realize that the little ball of fur he had resting against his chest smelled  **very** good.

_No, I'm not going to hurt her. Ever._ Virgil's already lost so much, he won't dare betray her like that. Mason, while he thought about what the hell to do next, finally felt that something had been jabbing into his lower back and reached behind himself; it was the dagger Nate had given to him the night they had met Lady Amelie.  _When did I grab this?_ It certainly wasn't in the room he and Nate had woke up in after he got out of his bonds.

_...Nate..._

Mason felt tears form in his eyes and he didn't bother to stop them, silently weeping for the loss of his best friend and a person he's always thought of as an older brother. He can't imaging the kind of pain his friend must be going through right now; was he even going to survive that level of pain despite what they've already managed to survive? He didn't know. All he could do was believe that Nate died on that table and that he was finally at peace, no pain, not having been turned into a vampire.

...And what about him? Lady Amelie said that there was another bag. So, was he still human? Or halfway turned into a vampire?

The question answered itself when he heard faint heartbeats slowly come closer.

Travelers.

"What is... Oh Istus! Honey! Stop the cart!" A woman's voice cried out and the cart that was only five feet away from him pulled to a stop. The woman and a man got off and quickly rushed to his side. "What happened to you, dear?" The woman asked, her dark skin glowing in the moonlight, her hand cupping his cheek.

"V-Vampire..."

"Oh Helm... Were you hurt?" The man asked, skin lighter than the woman's, and a scar peaking out from under his shirt. Mason only nodded.

"I...got away, but...I'm so hungry and, and thirsty..."

"It's alright, dear, we'll keep you safe." The woman comforted as the man hurried back to the cart, grabbing a few things. He offered Mason a roll of sweet bread and a water flask; he hesitated for a moment, but when he bit into the bread it tasted like normal, not dry or flavorless like he was expecting. He ate it ravenously, guzzling half of the water down in moments.

"Feeling a little better?" The woman asked, but Mason shook his head.

"Still hungry...thirsty..." His eyes flickered up to theirs and he didn't react when the woman screamed, the man snapping to his feet frozen. They smelt amazing and Mason had an inkling that they could help end in hunger and thirst. He'll start with the man now running for the cart, obvious threat. With a speed he's never felt during his best adrenaline rush, Mason was on the man before anyone could blink, kicking at one of his legs and hearing a wet and violent snapping before the man screamed in pain and fell to his knees. Mason now had easy access to his throat and he took it, sinking his fangs deep into the warm flesh and holding back a moan of delight as the blood started to fill his mouth, drinking heavily.

The man was drained of all of his blood in mere seconds, Mason quickly turning his attention to the woman.

"No, no! Please, spare me! Please!" Mason didn't hear her words, grabbing a handful of her dark red hair and yanking back, roughly exposing her neck. Again, he sank his fangs in and again that delicious liquid swarmed his mouth as he feverishly drank. She too, was drained in moments.  _M-Mason?_ That voice in his head spoke and he glanced over to Virgil, who was now awake, tail between her legs.

"Virgil. Sh, it's okay." He tried, blood stained around his mouth, but she whined a took a step back.  _Scaring me._ He frowned deeply.

"...I'm sorry, Virgil. I..." He sighed, quickly looking around and found a spare piece of cloth on the cart, quickly wiping his face clean of the blood. "...Lady Amelie did something to me; changed me. And now...now I want blood."  _All the time?_ Mason glanced at Virgil, since that voice was female and she was the only one around, and shook his head.

"I don't know...for right now? Yes, but I don't think this feeling will last forever." He knelt down and locked his eyes with Virgil.  _...If you can hear me in your head, bark._ Virgil barked. "...Something must have happened to you too, huh?" Virgil glanced to the ground.  _Felt something odd before mom, sisters, and brothers stopped moving._ Mason offered a comforting expression as he stroked her head.

"Looks like we both were changed."  _Really?_

"Mm-hm. Wolves can't do what you can."  _...Makes me special?_ Mason grinned warmly to Virgil now that she's calmed down some.

"Yes. Which is why I'll always protect you."  _...I'll protect Mason too! Family!_ Virgil bounced up to him and nuzzled her head against his leg, tail wagging happily.  _So...will you still hunt?_

"Hmm?"  _Your food; you still hunt?_

"...I guess so. I don't want to risk hurting you." Virgil nodded her head.  _No like that. How many before no long need hunt?_

"Well, no need to hunt what, Virgil? I still need normal food and water."  _Blood. How many before no blood hunting?_

"I guess we'll have to find out. They...make two."

Which turned into three.

Which turned into seven.

Which turned into eighteen.

Turned into 30.

Turned into 67.

Turned into 83.

91.

104.

138.

185.

206.

222.

235.

257.

Two hundred and eighty seven people.

Two hundred and eight seven people before Mason's hunger and thirst for blood ceased.

It took over six months, but after draining 287 people across the continent of all of their blood, the vampirc side finally calmed and quieted.

And Virgil stayed by his side the entire time. Stayed with him as he crafted his first bow and first set of arrows. Stayed with him as he made a field knife from stone so he didn't have to use the gift Nate had given him. Stayed with him as he made his first kill, field dressing the young doe so the meat didn't spoil or get contaminated. Stayed with him as he started his first fire and cooked meat for the first time, enjoying when he offered her one of the more thoroughly cooked pieces while he ate one that was still a bit raw. Stayed with him as he learned how to pick pockets from a well mannered thief. Stayed with him as he successfully stole money and bought himself new clothes.

Virgil stayed with him as he slowly grew into a man, she herself also growing with him.

* * *

Slow, careful footsteps. Head low, eyes scanning. There. A doe and a rabbit, not far from each other. The trap was all set up, it just needed to be sprung. He stilled as the wind ruffled the leaves above, smiling as the wind washed over his face. He reached up sluggishly, not wanting to be spotted just yet, pulling an arrow out of the quiver. He notched the arrow, drew it, and aimed.

Upon release, the arrow soared through the rabbit's eye and skull, killing it instantly; as planned, the doe rushed off in the other direction, the hunter giving chase. The doe jumped over a fallen log and right in the path of the opened maw of the wolf that sprang from the bushes.

"Yes! Good job, Virgil!"  _Heh, thank you, Mason._ He heard her voice in his head, quickly turning around to grab and dress the rabbit.  _Can I eat it now?_

"No. I need to clean it so I can have some of the meat too."  _You have a whole rabbit! Why can't I have a whole deer?!_

"Because you don't like rabbit, even though you've never tried it!" Mason retorted, giving Virgil a soft smile when she brought the dead animal over to him.  _How good can a rabbit be compared to a deer?_

"How about you try a piece and you can tell me?" Virgil growled at him, but didn't reject.

Mason was 13 now, having improved both his hunting skills and his...other traits. He refuses to admit that he's half-vampire, but he knows there is nothing he can really do about it; if one looked at it right, he had the best of both worlds: he had all of the enhanced speed, strength, and senses that vampires do  _without_ living in fear of sunlight, water, and most vampire poisons. He can heal incredibly fast, can run, climb, and swim faster than he could ever dream of, and apparently, becoming a vampire means that it looks like a god of love and a goddess of beauty both had a hand in your creation.

And, at least for Mason, it didn't matter what race or gender they were; all eyes were on him when he was in town, which wasn't very often. But that was honestly fine since he didn't really know anyone here. He was on Tal'Dorei, more commonly know as Exandria, to hopefully learn more about what had happened to Virgil. The sail here had been shorter than expected with some favorable winds, but it was still about a half year's travel to Exandria; he celebrated his 13th birthday on that ship. Virgil was now the size of an adult wolf, but they both noticed that she was still growing a little bit.

Mason offered Virgil a piece of cooked rabbit, and he smirked at her when she didn't complain about it.  _...Deer's still better._

"Agreed, but I told you that rabbit wasn't that bad." He said as he began to eat the large chunk of deer that he had carved from the body, letting Virgil have the rest. He was honestly shocked at how quickly he's adjusted to eating both raw and semi-cooked meat, but he needed to keep the fact that he is half a monster a secret, so he had to make do somehow.  _So where do we go from here?_ Virgil asked and Mason closed his eyes, focused his senses, and inhaled deeply. He picked the scent within moments.

"Northeast, about another 3 miles from here. Almost there, Virg." He cooed, reaching over to scratch behind her ear, chuckling when her tail thumped against the ground. They were following up on a tip of someone who might be able to help them understand what happened to Virgil.  _Do you think he'll really know what happened?_

"I hope so, but there's only one real way to find out."  _...You're twitchy, why?_ Mason sighed heavily.

"Well...I know we're heading in the correct direction to find this Morgan, but...the man we got the tip from was lying about something."  _Any idea what?_

"Maybe the race? From how he was acting, it doesn't seem that this Morgan is human."  _Maybe they're a Tiefling._

"Ah true, Tieflings aren't that welcomed by people. Which is sad, because they're honestly better than the people who shun them,  **especially** if you're alone with them and--"  _I don't need to know the rest of that._ Mason chuckled softly, both of them finishing up their meal. The trek through the woods was a short one and they found themselves standing before a large cave opening, a small glimmer catching Mason's eye.  _Gems? In a cave... OH SHIT!_ Both he and Virgil quickly went on their guard when the echo of heavy footsteps greeted them.

A few moments later, a gold dragon stood before them, a look of bemusement in its eyes.

"Morgan?"

"Correct, small one." The dragon spoke, lowering its head to inspect both of them. "Why have you come?"

"I... My companion is able to commune with me through telepathy and she continues to grow in size. We were hoping you might be able to help us understand what happened to her."

The dragon moved its gaze from Mason to the wolf at his side, Virgil not bowing down to it in any form.

"...Interesting. It's been a very long time since a dire wolf has been in these parts."

"Dire wolf?" Mason asked.

"Yes, that's what she is. She will continue to grow until you are able to mount her like a horse, since that's about as big as she will grow. As for her ability to commune with you through telepathy, that is due to a curse that wasn't intended for her."

_Not...intended for me? Then who, my mother?_ "It's possible, pup. I cannot sense who it was who casted it, but the fact you have lived past it is quite an accomplishment."

_I...lived past the casting? What...do you mean, I don't understand!_ "Sh, Virgil, sh..." Mason cooed, stroking her fur soothingly, turning her head to face him and he pressed his forehead to hers.

"...The curse grants the one it's casted on immorality from the ages, but the power of it tends to end the receiver's life. The fact you survived proves your strength. You were the oldest of your litter, yes?"

"No. Virgil was the runt." Mason stated, sensing the distress from his companion.

"Truly? Then her survival is even more impressive."

"So, she can't die from old age, but how can she use telepathy?" Mason questioned, rubbing his hand up and down his friend's spine.

"A side effect of the spell; magic that powerful tends to grant other gifts to those who can withstand it. And she is clearly more intelligent and charming than any wolf you've come across before, correct?" Mason nodded his head. "These are the other gifts proved by this spell. She will survive to see the world around her shift and change and grow, just like you will, until she is killed by a means other than the passing of time."

Mason stiffened at the dragon's words. "You can't keep that a secret from me, child. Though it  _is_ impressive that you have such control over the other side of you."

"...How come?" The dragon just chuckled.

"Take a night to read the journal you've most likely forgotten about and you'll understand." Mason's hand moved without him thinking to the small pouch he had on him and felt the firm object in it against his palm.

"...Step inside for a moment, little things." Mason didn't really enjoy being called tiny, but he listened and he froze when the dragon's tail curled around him and Virgil, skewing his view of the forest. It was then that he heard hurried and heavy footfall.

"Morgan! What are you doing?"

"I could ask you the same thing, human. Why have you come to me?"

"Heard a rumor of a dire wolf in the woods, as well as a vampire." Mason bit down his hiss at being called a full vampire.

"And you've come to kill them?"

"What's it to you?!" A different voice called, younger than the first though still male.

"It matters to me because you've assumed that they have come this deep into the forest, and you're implying that I'm providing them with shelter. My dear captain, you know  **exactly** what I will do if you think that I'm harboring these two beings."

"...Aye, I do. And I do not claim that you are. I merely wish to ask if you've seen or sensed them nearby."

Morgan shook his head, curling his tail a little tighter around Mason and Virgil. "I have not."

"So they haven't come this way...okay that narrows things down. Thank you, Morgan." There was a shuffling and the sounds of people starting to leave when.

"I do believe that an offering still has to be made, dear captain."

"What?!" The youth piped up, but the captain just sighed heavily.

"...4 gold, each of you."

"WHAT?!"

"Shut it, newbie! Just do as the captain says. Morgan does not offer his advice and answers for free." A different voice, female, spoke and the younger male grumbled. Mason heard the soft clicking of coins and watched as Morgan offered one of his huge hands to the group, the captain placing the gold in it.

"Thank you for your offering. You are free to leave." There wasn't a verbal response, just a moment of silence before the group left. Morgan removed his tail from around them and Mason leveled his eyes with the dragon's.

"Do we, as well, have to pay this tribute?" Morgan just chuckles, slightly shaking his head.

"No. But I shall gift you with this as a sign of my trust." He said as he moved the hand that had 12 gold pieces glittering in it.

"A sign of trust?"

"Yes. I can tell that you do not place your faith in the gods, and yet you still believe in something that is greater than you. It is rare to find someone like you, and I wish to perhaps request your aid in later years."

"So this is what, an early commission?"

"Think of it like I said: a sign of trust. There are beings far powerful, and more dangerous, than I that only someone of your talents and skills can properly handle. By giving you the offering they have paid, I'm informing you that I wish for our possible friendship to remain; that you may call upon me for aid or knowledge should you need it."

"...And how would I do that, if I was a great distance from you?"

"A scrying spell. Just focus on me when you use it, and I will hear your thoughts." That's right, gold dragons have a knack for telepathy. Mason hesitated for a moment more before taking the offered gold, not really sure what to do with this much coin.

"Thank you, Morgan."

"Of course, young one. Now go, the sun will start setting soon, and you both would do well with a proper meal." Morgan stated before he lowered his head in goodbye, turned, and went back into the depths of his home.

* * *

The fire was warm against his front as he leaned against the tree, belly full, as he stared at the journal he had stolen from Lady Amelie 8 years ago.

_Lady Amelie... I wonder what happened back home._ Mason can fondly remember the good the vampire had done for the people of Wayhaven, as well as the pangs of fear and guilt when the thought of what happened to him flashed into his mind. Did Nate survive the transfusion of the second bag? What the hell was in the first one? And what of Lady Amelie? Surely a woman of good heart like her's wouldn't have let herself remain silent about what she had done, right? The questions piled higher and higher, and the urge to return home once again hit him. But, once again, he ignored it.

He wouldn't go back, couldn't go back, until he had no choice but to. Selfish, he knows, but it was a purposeful choice; it took him until he was 11 for the nightmares of his half turning to stop, and he just didn't know if he could face the memories that would likely come should he return home. It's half the reason he was in Exandria, to be unable to return to the place that seemed to call him, as well as learn the truth behind what was happening to his friend.

...No, she was more than that. Virgil, bless the sweet girl, had stayed by his side through  _everything_ after they were reunited back in that forest; the forest where they met, the forest Mason escaped into to get away from the coldness of the world and the harshness of unwelcoming adults. Virgil...she was like a sister to him; loving, supportive, softly scolding him when he's done something that she's told him not to do, being there for him no matter what. There was nothing she wouldn't do for him, and he knows without a shadow of a doubt, that there's nothing that he wouldn't do for her.

Glancing to his left, he smiled at her curled and sleeping form, head resting on her tail, peaceful.  _...Okay. Let's see what Morgan was talking about._

He opened up the journal.

And found a tale of Lord Remus's life as he slowly died from the Dead Man's Blood that coursed through his veins. It was a sad, yet hopeful one; a man writing down his hard learned lessons for Lady Amelie to learn from. The first two thirds of the journal was filled with insight on living as a vampire--things that Mason was eager to memorize. But then, possibly towards the last of his days, his calm and composed writing slowly turned into frantic madness. He began to describe a theory, one that did not require a vampire to turn a person into a vampire spawn and then let them drink their blood.

It instead turned the person into a full vampire by a means of transfusion of a full vampire's blood and a transfusion of a strong enough sedative to slow down the person's heartbeat and breathing enough to simulate death and allow the transformation to happen  **without** that person dying in the process. Mason felt his stomach churn as he read the theory.

The first transfusion is mostly made of vampire blood, mixed with some kind of herb he's never heard of before as well as ground-up werewolf teeth to ensure that the fangs grow quickly and that the person's body is ready to receive the second transfusion. That second bag Lady Amelie had mentioned, and had started to transfuse into Nate, was filled with a natural sedative and painkiller to make sure that the person being transformed would be in as little pain as possible, as them being in too much pain could out right kill them if not change the basic aspects of the vampirc traits that person would have.

Judging from his memories, Lady Amelie either didn't put in enough painkillers or simply hadn't bothered with them. But what had Mason so worried was what Lord Remus described to those who only went through half of his theory.

To put it simply, they would be turned into mindless killing machines, in constant pain and forced with live with an undying thirst and hunger that will cause them to kill thousands if not more, if they aren't dispatched of quickly.

Mason, as he read this, felt both fear and...power. He had only gone through half of this new process of creating vampires, and while he had killed nearly 300 people to finally sate his thirst and hunger, he's had control over it ever since. He wasn't in constant pain, he wasn't constantly fighting off the urge to feed; he blended in with everyone else and lived a normal life. Morgan was right, it really was impressive that he has the control that he does, given what should be happening to him. He reread the journal a total of five times, ensuring that the contents of it were memorized, before he chucked it into the campfire that burned into the chilled night.

Virgil, most likely picking up the smell of burning parchment, woke up and glanced to the human she was with.  _...What's the matter?_ Mason shook his head.

"I was hoping that the journal might mention a way to reverse what was done to me, but..." Virgil's ears flattened down at his words, getting up and moving to his side. Mason reached up and stroked her thick and warm coat, giving her a few scratches under her chin and behind her ears.

"...I guess I'm just a monster for the rest of my life."  _Not a monster, Mason._ He glanced to her again.

"No?"  _No. You're my friend, my family, my brother, my protector. **You** are not a monster._

"...Heh, no, I'm just a monster who hunts monsters.  **Who** I am doesn't make me  **what** I am. Thanks, sis."  _Anytime, brother. Now scoot up!_ Mason growled lowly at her, but listened.

Once there was a big enough gap, Virgil tucked herself behind Mason, who hesitated but leaned back against her, instantly feeling much warmer with her wrapped around his body.  _There. Now neither of us are cold._ Mason smiled as he tenderly nestled against her more, moving until his head rested on her shoulder and his lower body was trapped between her legs and tail.

_Goodnight, Mason._

"Goodnight, Virgil."

And the two drifted off to sleep under the light of a half moon.

**Author's Note:**

> To clear up any confusion, Wayhaven technically is a city, but it started out as a town and nearly all of the people still refer to it as such.


End file.
